Lonely Hearts
by Procrastinating Fan Girl
Summary: Start of something between Red and Healy ?
1. Chapter 1

Red glanced back at the office as she marched down the corridor. Of all the people she had met in the prison, Norma and Nicky had been there for her throughout everything. They reminded her that life could be worse, and that she was one of the lucky ones. And now that was all going to change…

Healy watched as Red marched out of his office. Her head held high, and no sign of any emotion after he had given her the news. He knew that if it was him in her shoes that he would be falling apart. But no. She got up and marched out, and he was very tempted to go after her. But should he? He didn't want her to think that there was more there than there actually was. He enjoyed being with Red, she was brilliant company and great help with her advice about his wife, but she was a prisoner. He was a guard. It couldn't happen, could it?

Red marched straight out onto the yard, not acknowledging anyone else's presence. Not even Norma. Straight onto the yard, to the bench by electrical where Nicky would often sit and have lunch during work detail. Red didn't know what she wanted from Healy, but when he gave her the news he seemed so detached from it all. He seemed to offer no form of support, no hand to hold or shoulder to cry on. How could he be so cruel, after everything she had done for him?

He knew he shouldn't care what Red thought of him, but it did matter. He knew that he hadn't handled the situation very well and after much deliberation he headed out of the office. He knew exactly where she would have gone. So slowly he wandered through the corridors of Litchfield to the doors that led out onto the exercise yard and the outdoor work units. He paused. He could see her sat on the bench outside electrical. As he slowly approached the bench, she didn't even lift her head, or acknowledge his presence by her side. Gently he laid a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Red had heard him shuffling towards her, the yard was quiet. He had stopped just short of her and the bench. But he was close enough that she could hear him breathe. Before she knew it a large, but gentle hand landed on her shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze.

"Red? I'm sorry, Nicky was the daughter you'd always wanted, and you were the mother she'd always longed for. You helped shape her into the woman she became, which was a far cry from the young woman I remember entering this prison." Healy removed his hand from her shoulder, and motioned to the bench, to which Red just nodded. She didn't look at him directly but he could see how much pain she was in. "Nicky will be missed by everyone here. Maybe we could organise a little something in her honour".

Red sat upright and turned. Her deep, pain filled eyes focussed on the man sat next to her. Normally she would have longed to spend time like this with him, but today, she didn't want to look at him. "You provide the drugs and we will have a party, is that what you want?"

Healy looked astounded. Taking a few moments, he composed himself. "We all know that if anything needs getting you're the woman Red." The second the words came out of his mouth he regretted saying them.

Red just chuckled. He may be a miserable old man, but she appreciated his honesty and she had begun to understand more about his life. The relationship that had begun to develop between the two of them, given different circumstance would have hopefully become more. Especially given that her husband was a waste of space. Healy didn't have many prospects, but at least he was on the right side of the law, and he tried. She could see the effort he was putting into his marriage.


	2. Chapter 2

Several days passed and Healy was still unsure of what to say to Red. The formidable Russian scared him, and he wasn't afraid to admit it. She had never needed or wanted anything from him before. Nothing serious anyways. But he knew that he needed to just be there for her, quietly, in the background. The women were organising a memorial, and Red was in charge, as usual. He did note that she left some of the softer touches to Norma.

She noticed him more than usual. He had always had an eye for her, usually keeping an eye on what she was trying to smuggle into the prison. This was different somehow though. She had forgiven him for his abrupt announcement days earlier, however, she wasn't planning on telling him that anytime soon. She knew exactly what Nicky would have wanted and that would have been to play him for all his worth, which admittedly wasn't a great deal. She was keeping herself distracted by the memorial which was later that day. She stopped brushing her hair and looked into the mirror. She hadn't given a thought to what happened after the memorial. What would happen now, who would fill the Nicky sized gap in everyone's lives, who would attempt to confront her, who would she be able to be open and honest with? A single tear slid down the face of the formidable

Russian, who wiped it away looking over her shoulder to see if anyone noticed this moment of weakness, and taking a deep breath stormed out of the bathroom.

The memorial was short and sweet. A handful of the girls turned up to share funny stories about the times that they had shared with Nicky. When it was over the girls sat in the TV room and watched day time TV rubbish which Nicky would have laughed at. The sounds of their laughter filled the air, as Red walked slowly away from the door, a small smile creeping across her face. Nicky would have loved it, everyone carrying on regardless, but doing the little things that Nicky loved to do. Red watched as Boo hit on every woman in the room, trying to 'out do' Nicky's record, she watched as Morello and co judged the women on whatever the terrible reality TV show was. She walked a little further down the corridor, not even sure where she planned on going. Then she decided. She needed to say something. She needed to live in the moment.

He hadn't been surprised at the response that the memorial got, Nicky got under everyone's skin, and not always in a bad way. She had always known how to make the other women laugh. He was surprised though that Red had chosen not to say anything. Of all the people in there, she was the one he thought would say something profound about Nicky, about her overcoming obstacles and her demons. But nothing. After it was over he had meandered back to his office. Days like today were hard for everyone. Not just the prisoners. Carefully placing his glasses on the desk in front of him, he sighed and rubbed his weary eyes. He didn't hear any footsteps, but he did hear the door close.

She sat in the chair opposite him, she didn't say a word.

"Red, I know how important Nicky was to you, if there is anything we .. I mean anything y'know I can do. Let me know." Healy wasn't sure what to do or what to say. He just sat looking at her. Waiting. Waiting for a response of any kind. And then it came. A single tear sliding gracefully down her cheek. Healy stood abruptly, sailed , sailed round the side of the desk grabbing a tissue from the box as he did and sat on the desk directly in front of her, the tissue held out.

Red looked up, ignoring the tissue for a moment, and felt another tear fall. As she put her hand out for the tissue, his other hand was raised to her face and his thumb gently brushed away the new tear, or remnants of it. Bracing herself she stood, now eye to eye with Healy, and smiled. "Thank you." She leant forward a planted a small kiss on his cheek, which instantly turned a bright shade of pink. She wasn't sure when it had happened but her hands were inside his, she gave them a gently squeeze, smiled politely again and left.

He didn't move. He didn't go after her. He just stood there. Silently. And blushing.


	3. Chapter 3

Red looked out of the corner of her eye at the figure coming towards her. It was not the most attractive figure she had to admit, but, it wasn't the worst that she had ever seen either. Ever since that stolen moment in the office they had been trying their utmost to keep apart, however in such a small space, it didn't really work out. Red pressed her back into the wall and tried to look very casual acknowledging him as he walked passed. She held her breath for a second as he reached her, opened her mouth to begin. He didn't even look. Or stop. Or even acknowledge that she was there. Instead chose that precise moment to yell across the hallway about some minor prison violation that was occurring. Trying to suppress the feeling of defeat she headed back to her bunk where no doubt the perky young thing that she co-habited with would be bouncing around without a care in the world.

"Just my luck." Thought the now thoroughly annoyed Russian. Since that somewhat awkward moment, which for the first few days she pretended never happened, in his office he had barely noticed her presence. She turned into the bunk to see her bunk mate canoodling with her on/off girlfriend, which confused the Russian woman no end. After all, the girlfriend was the reason she was stuck in this dump in the first place.

Red sat on her bed slowly, her back was causing her some grief today, and slowly slipped off her hideous prison footwear. Carefully she reached round for her book off the table which was placed directly behind her bed, and carefully laid down before either of the young women noticed that she was there. All three women stared at each other, and not a word was spoken until the perky blonde giggled.

"Sorry Red, didn't think you would be back, so um, so early." She started and then stopped herself, as she knew the Russian woman didn't care for excuses. Her tall girlfriend let go of her hand, shimmied to the edge of the bed and began to stand. The Russian raised her hand to motion the woman to stop what she was doing without moving her eyes from the book which she was currently finding her place in.

"There is no need for us all to be miserable, but you don't need to make a spectacle of yourselves. Have some dignity. And maybe you've got it right, men aren't worth the trouble they cause." The older woman spoke out to the two younger women without even glancing at them.

"Red are you, um, ok?" Questioned the blonde opposite her.

"Super, thanks for asking."

"We know that you miss Nicky, it must be tough for you, losing her like that." The taller of the two spoke gently, and took her glasses from on top of her head, placing the, carefully on her face.

"Pffft. Nicky knew exactly what she was doing. She had a problem, she didn't beat it. It beat her." Red supported Nicky through everything and the one time that she wasn't there, this had happened. "Nicky isn't my problem anymore. She isn't anyone's problem anymore. And a woman can have other problems in here you know. Not just the dead junkies." The moment the words came out of her mouth, she instantly regretted them. Nicky was her daughter, not flesh and blood but family in the most important ways that mattered. And these young women were her friends.

"I'm sensing that this isn't all about Nicky, Red?" Asked the blonde bunk mate who had started to look concerned at the angry Russian led opposite her. "Is this about something… Someone else?"

Red turned her head slowly, her deep dark eyes locking onto the women say across from her. Her arm raised above her head, she threw the book onto the desk. Her other hand rested on her lower back as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat herself upright. "How do you make it work in here? How do you cope?"

"Uh, oh. Erm. Is there someone you like Red?" The blonde sat forward hoping the Russian woman would tell her instantly. Her girlfriend didn't speak, but a small smile crept across her face and she began to chuckle to herself.

"You have a thing for Healy don't you, you dirty old woman?" Her chuckle getting slightly louder as she said the words.

"Alex!" The blonde looked at her girlfriend in disgust. Red said nothing, letting her head hang low and her face give the two women all the answers that they needed.

The silence lingered in the air for a few minutes. Alex and her girlfriend Piper shared glances, both trying not to laugh. Until they realised, she was serious, and to be fair to her, there wasn't a great deal of talent around.

"Sorry Red." Spoke out Alex as she awkwardly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"So, how's it going with Healy, or is it not? Can we help? Um. Anything we can do?" Piper looked at the woman opposite, and in all the time she had known this force that was Red, she had never seen her look so defeated.

"We were getting along fine. And now. He doesn't even notice me." Started Red, unsure as to how much she should share with these two. No doubt whatever she says will be half way round the prison before lunch.

"Something must have happened between the two of you for him to change his behaviour" enquired Piper while Alex nodded in agreement. Both women stood up and moved over to the other side of the small area, each taking a side of the older woman and sat down. Both of them instantly put a hand on top of hers which they could made the older woman uncomfortable, so they quickly removed them.

The older woman glanced between the two sets of eyes, either side of her before declaring, "I made my feelings known to him. I kissed him." Her head dropped as the two young women sniggered at either side of her. "Pfft, children" she thought to herself. "Why did I bother?"


	4. Chapter 4

Someone had overheard. Overheard the discussion that she had with the two young women. That must be it. Neither of them would ever defy her, surely?

Standing by the kitchen entrance watching over the kitchen staff serving the evening meal she was rudely interrupted from her thoughts by Alex and Lolly. Alex was practically dragging the latest Litchfield inmate across the floor whilst whispering in her ear. Alex avoided looking her in the eye. This wasn't a good sign.

" _Tell her Lolly! Don't take me down with you either!"_ Growled an angry Alex who was holding the newer inmate by the shoulder of her top.

" _Well, yeah, you know that I didn't mean anything by it. It was a mistake. I make a lot of those. Let's keep the noise down so…"_ Lolly looked around her before carrying on, as if she thought that someone was watching her or them. _"They don't need to hear our private conversations."_

" _oh you don't want them to hear your private conversations but you told someone business that wasn't yours?"_ Alex had a lot of time for Lolly but a line had been crossed and Alex wasn't sure that Lolly could even see the line.

" _Could someone explain, quickly!"_ Red interrupted the two women.

" _This morning, before breakfast, I was in the showers and I heard some people. They were talking about you and Mr Healy. Now the CIA can use information even if it's incorrect, however if we're going to get into trouble we should be putting out information that's correct. That way we're only getting into trouble for what we actually do/did…"_ Lolly began to ramble about the sharing of information but all Alex could do is watch the outraged expression on Red's face.

" _Alex. What is this bumbling idiot trying to tell me?"_

" _Lolly may or may not have overheard our conversation and may or may not have…"_ Alex who was usually veru coherent began to stumble over her words. Nobody liked to anger the formidable Russian.

" _I just correct the facts of the conversation."_

" _Alex. Get rid of your friend. She is an idiot. This is not down to her, if she was correcting people then she isn't the only one talking and if they hadn't have been talking I doubt she would have said anything. I'm not sure she is stupid enough for that."_ Red was being very rational and it terrified Alex. Something was coming. Something big.

Walking down the halls of Litchfield Healy noticed lots of strange looks. Lots of women looking over their shoulders and sniggering. Normally he didn't provoke a positive response from all the inmates but even this was extreme for some of them. He carefully approached Doggett to find out what was going on today, but before he could open his mouth she pulled up the hood on her grey hoodie and walked away without a sound.

Nicky was next on Healy's list. She normally had an ear to the ground about the goings on in the prison. She was a very social young lady, and it helped having her on side when dealing with Red.

Nicky was by the sheds working, or she was meant to be. Nicky spent a lot of time sat on the benches with a cigarette when it was nice. He found her in her normal spot, basking in the late afternoon sun.

" _They know. I don't know how but they know. So I suggest you and her cool things off. Stay away, yeah. Else she'll like end up in SHU or Max or you'll end up with no job and where will we all be then huh?"_ Nicky was her usual tactful self and got straight to the point.

He knew that she wasn't going to be leaving Litchfield for a long time. He'd probably have to leave first. But he was sure that he was going to stay as close to her as long as he could. First though the rumour mill had to end.


End file.
